15 Brain-Twisting Concept Albums That Are Endlessly Rewarding
10. Johnny The Fox Thin Lizzy
Its unclear whether or not Phil Lynott intended Johnny the Fox to be a proper concept album, but it definitely turned out that way. Most of the songs follow very closely along a similar narrative a guy, down on his luck, visits bars, reminisces about loves lost and dreams crushed, and gets involved with a bad crowd. All throughout the album, theres that familiar, relatable Thin Lizzy vibe. Phil Lynott is one of rocks great everymen, and his protagonist, Johnny, is much the same he could just as easily be a stand-in for the listener as he is for Lynott, but its definitely a deeply personal recording. Just as Lynott himself did, Johnny struggles with substance abuse, his love life and finding his place in the world. The melancholy Borderline practically invites you want to have a drink with Johnny, as its a sad tale of a lonely, dejected man going over his life in a bar; Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed tells a vivid tale of a curbside drug deal; and Boogie Woogie Dance, the final track, is a dark, up-tempo rocker describing the worldwide popularity and bizarre effects of an unnamed drug. In hindsight, it should have been a warning: Lynott died of complications stemming from his heroin addiction in 1986. But at least he left behind this gem of classic rock to keep us all company during the hard times.
Kyle Schmidlin is a writer and musician living in Austin, TX. He manages the news blog at thirdrailnews.wordpress.com. Follow him at facebook.com/kyleschmidlin or twitter.com/kyleschmidlin1.
